Innesesaria

Innesesaria is a small genus of flowering plants in the fictional family Innesaceae. Endemic to the montane cloud forests of the Letharan Archipelago, the genus comprises two recognized species: Innesesaria alba and Innesesaria rubra. The genus was first described in 1993 by botanists Mara Keegan and T. Sato, and the name honors the late botanist Isla Innes, who contributed to the archipelago’s flora.

Plants of Innesesaria are evergreen shrubs or small trees, typically 0.5 to 2 meters tall. They have simple, leathery leaves with a glossy green surface. Inflorescences are terminal panicles bearing small, tubular flowers with five petals. Flower color ranges from white to pale yellow in I. alba, and from white with pink or red tinges to solid pinkish-red in I. rubra. The fruit is a dry capsule containing several seeds.

The genus is restricted to moist, cool microclimates at elevations of roughly 800 to 1800 meters, on fertile volcanic or rich clay soils, often in shaded understory or forest edge within the cloud zone. Pollination is primarily by native bees and hummingbirds, with local seed dispersal by gravity and short-distance wind. Mycorrhizal associations have been documented in roots.

Species

- Innesesaria alba: white-flowered, found in higher-elevation forests.

- Innesesaria rubra: red-tinged flowers, more common in forest margins.

Conservation and cultivation

Innesesaria is not widely cultivated. The conservation status is not well established, but habitat loss from deforestation poses a risk. Propagation is possible from seeds (which often require stratification) or seminary stem cuttings for horticultural use. The genus is of interest to specialists studying cloud forest biodiversity.